Hawk-Snake Battle Causes Large Fire in Montana

A bird and snake caused quite a snafu this week when their fighting started a massive fire in Montana.

It all started on Wednesday morning when a large bird, most likely a hawk, snagged a snake for a quick meal. During their aerial battle, one of the two creatures crashed into a power line, electrocuting them both and causing sparks to fly in all directions. Both animals fell to the ground dead. The sparks emitted from their fight quickly caused a fire.

40 acres of land caught fire and burned brightly before firefighters got the situation under control. Apparently, animals cause fires all the time. According to Channel 11 News, they are particularly common in this area of Montana. However, power outages are usually the more common theme. Surprisingly, these critters didn’t cause a power outage this time, just a massive fire.

Both a lack of rain and arid conditions helped spread the blaze. According to KPAX, fire crews from Ulm, Sand Coulee, Vaughn, MT Air National Guard, Malmstrom AFB and Great Falls all showed up to help. NorthWestern Energy and the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office also assisted.

When crews arrived, the hawk was still clutching the dead snake in its talons. How’s that for dedication? Luckily, no one reported injuries, and no buildings suffered damage from the blaze. I guess this just goes to show you that nature and mankind truly don’t mix. What started out as a quick lunch break wound up in two deaths and a huge mess for someone to clean up.

Image via KPAX

I guess this just goes to show you that nature and mankind truly don’t mix. What started out as a quick lunch break wound up in two deaths and a huge mess for someone to clean up.